Vapor electric device



Aug. 1, 1939. E. M. KAEGI VAPOR' ELECTRIC DEVICE Filed April 2l, 1937Patented Aug. 1, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE VAPOR ELECTRIC DEVICEApplication April 21, 1937, Serial No. 138,190

1 Claim.

This invention relates in general to improvements in vapor electricdevices, and more particularly to means for sealing an electrode in thecasing of such a device and for transmitting heat 5 between suchelectrode and a radiator.

Vapor electric devices such as electric valves are generally providedwith electrodes which penetrate through the casing of the device andsuch electrodes are frequently sealed against the casing by means of asolid packing cooperating with a suitable sealing fluid such as mercury.'Ihe operation of the device results in the evolution of a considerableamount of heat at the electrodes, and such heat may be dissipated bymeans of suitable radiators mounted on the electrodes outside of thevalve casing. To obtain the desired heat transfer between an electrodeand the associated radiator, it is generally necessary to machine thecooperating surfaces of such members with high accuracy and to assemblesuch members with great care. It is therefore frequently more economicalto space the adjacent surfaces of the electrode and of the associatedradiator and to utilize a body of fluid both for sealing the electrodeagainst the casing and for transmitting heat between the spaced surfacesof the electrode and of the radiator. The invention may, however, beutilized in any structure other than a vapor electric device in which aheat conductive member is to be sealed against a wall and is to beplaced in heat conducting relationship with another member.

Itis, therefore, one of the objects of the present invention to providea structure in which heat may be transferred between two heat conductivemembers without necessitating accurate forming of the adjacent surfacesof such members.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a structure inwhich a single body of fluid serves both for transferring heat betweentwo heat conductive members and for sealing one of such members againsta wall.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a structure inwhich a radiator receiving heat from a heat conductive member alsoserves as a gland for a stuffing box associated with the heat conductivemember.

Objects and advantages other than those above set forth will be;apparent from the following description, when read in connection withthe accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 diagrammatically illustrates one embodiment of the presentinvention utilized for sealing an anode of a vapor electric deviceagainst the (Cl. Z-27.5)

casing thereof and for transmitting heat between the anode and aradiator;

Fig. 2 diagrammatically illustrates a modified embodiment of the presentinvention differing from the embodiment illustrated in Fig. 1 in thatthe chamber for the sealing fluid has no outlet other than a level gaugemounted thereon.

Elements performing the same function in both embodiments hereinillustrated are designated by the same reference character although suchelements may be of different configurations and may be arrangeddifferently in such embodiments.

Referring more particularly to the drawing by characters of reference,reference numeral 6 designates a portion of the wall of the casing of avapor electric device defining an aperture for an anode penetratingtherethrough. Casing 6 may be made of electrically insulating materialsuch as glass, and the anode may then be sealed directly thereagainst.If casing 6 is made of electrically conductive material, as shown on thedrawing, it is generally necessary to provide the casing with aninsulating portion, such as a hollow insulator 8, engaging theconductive portion of the casing in sealed relation therewith about theaperture provided for the passage of the anode. The anode thuspenetrates through both the aperture in the casing and through theinsulator. Although the insulator need not necessarily penetrate throughthe aperture in the casing, such arrangement is generally preferable,the insulator being supported on the casing by a split flange 9 boltedon the casing wall. The insulator may then be utilized for supporting anarc guide II) associated with anode 1. The insulator may be sealedagainst casing 6 by any suitable known means. As illustrated in Fig. l,casing 6 may be machined to form a stuffing box receiving a suitablepacking II cooperating with a suitable body of sealing fluid I2. PackingII is compressed against casing 6 and insulator 8 by means of a suitablegland I3.

Anode 'I of electrically conductive and heat conductive materialcomprises a head portion abutting one end of insulator 8 within arcguide I and a stem portion arranged within the insulator. Such stempreferably comprises a solid cylindrical portion- I4 and a hollowcylindrical portion or sleeve I6, such portions being connected Witheach other by screwing to insure the proper electric current conductionand heat conduction therebetween. For the purpose of sealing sleeve I4against insulator 8 and hence against casing 6, the bore of insulator ispreferably recessed to form a stuffing box receiving a suitable solidpacking I1 arranged between insulator 8 and sleeve I4 in sealing contacttherewith. Packing II alone would not generally form a suniciently fluidtight seal between sleeve I4 and insulator 8. Such seal is accordinglyperfected by means of a body of suitable sealing uid I8. In general, itis desired that any portion of the fluids I2 and I8 which may leak pastthe associated packings should be without harmful effect on theoperation of the device. Such fluids are therefore generally selectedidentical to the uid used in the operation of the device, such asmercury.

A'heat dissipating member such as a radiator I 9 of heat conductivematerial of any suitable known type is arranged adjacent the sleeve I6outside of casing 6 to receive heat from the electrode and to transmitsuch heat to the ambient atmosphere. Radiator I9 preferably comprises acylindrical body surrounding sleeve I6 and bearing a plurality of heatdissipating ns, the body of the radiator being `provided with anextension 2I serving as a gland cooperating with packing Il. Radiator I9is urged against packing I'I to compress such packing by means of a nut22 screwed on sleeve I6 and acting on radiator I9 through a spring 23.Radiator I9 is maintained in sealed relation with insulator 8 by meansof a yieldable packing 24 compressed therebetween by spring 23.

Fluid I8 is thus confined within a chamber defined by packing I7 and theadjacent surfaces of sleeve I6, radiator I9 and insulator 8, but it willbe understood that electrode 'I and radiator I9 ,may also havecomplementary surfaces in direct contact with each other. The chambercontaining fluid I 8 may be enlarged at the level of the surface of thefluid for reducing the variations of such level resulting from changesin the temperature of the fluid. The fluid level is preferably indicatedoutside of the chamber by means of a level gauge 26 of any suitableknown type. Fluid I 3, being in contact with packing I1, sleeve I6,insulator 8 and radiator I9, seals anode 'I against insulator 8 andtherefore also against Wall 6, and the same fluid also transmits heatresulting from the operation of anode 'I between sleeve I6 and radiatorI9. Fluid I8 follows all the irregularities of the adjacent surfaces ofsleeve I6 and of radiator I9 and is thus in perfect contact with bothsuch members. The heat transfer therebetween accordingly takes placeunder the most favorable conditions and results in sleeve IG beingmaintained at the lowest possible temperature.

In the embodiment illustrated in Fig. 2, the chamber for fluid I 8 isclosed at the top thereof by means of a packing 21 pressed againstradiator I 9 by spring 23 through a Washer 28. Level gauge 26 may thenbe mounted on top of radiator I9 and the entire chamber may be lled withuid to obtain the maximum rate of heat transmission between sleeve I6and radiator I9. If desired nut 22 and washer 28 may be formed withconcave spherical surfaces, each such mem- Vber then being provided witha complementary spherical washer 29 to insure transmission of an axialthrust to radiator I9 by spring 23.

Although but two embodiments of the present invention have beenillustrated and described, it will be apparent to those skilled in theart that various changes and modifications may be made therein Withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention or from the scope of theappended claim.

It is claimed and desired to secure by Letters Patent:

In an electric valve, the combination with an insulator defining anaperture, of an electrodeV penetrating through said aperture in spacedrelation with said insulator at an upper level and in sealed relationtherewith at a lower level, a heat conductive member encircling aportion of said electrode in spaced relation therewith and in sealedrelation with said insulator, said electrode, insulator and memberforming a chamber, and a single body of fluid contained within saidcham--

